A typical bolt action firearm consists of a receiver mounted in a stock of the firearm and bolt slidably received within an elongate chamber of the receiver.
By using a bolt handle which is typically provided on a collar piece, the bolt is able to slide between a receiver open position where a cartridge may be inserted into the receiver and a closed position where the bolt is locked in position, thereby restraining the cartridge into a firing chamber.
Typically, cartridges may be divided into two categories: centre fire, or rim fire. Centre fire cartridges have the ignition means located concentric to the bore axis and at the rear end of the cartridge. Rim fire cartridges contain the ignition means within the outer rear rim of the cartridge.
Typically the system for firing a centre fire cartridge in a bolt action firearm consists of a firing pin which is locatable in a central passage within a bolt which is able to rotate around the same axis as the bore of the barrel. Locking this bolt into the closed position is typically achieved by having protruding lugs at some distance along the rotatable bolt body engaging matching recesses within the receiver, or alternatively, matching recesses within the barrel.
The firing pin is typically assembled within the bolt body with a spring, which is typically mounted around the external surface of the firing pin. This main spring is typically restrained between a flanged face of the firing pin and the front face of the shroud.
By operating a firing mechanism the spring is able to force the firing pin to impact on the ignition means of the cartridge within the firing chamber.
Typically, the firing system for firing a rim fire cartridge in a bolt-action firearm consists of a bolt body that for part of its length is semi-circular in cross section. This bolt body typically does not rotate within the receiver. A rotating collar attached to this bolt body typically has mounted on it the means for locking the bolt assembly into the receiver. Typically, a firing pin is housed within the non-rotating bolt body, with the point/axis of impact directed at the rim of the cartridge within the firing chamber. Typically, this firing pin is acted upon by a spring also housed within the bolt body. By operating a firing mechanism the spring is able to force the firing pin to impact on the ignition means of the cartridge within the firing chamber.
By operating a firing mechanism the spring is able to force the firing pin to impact on the ignition mass of the cartridge within the firing chamber.
Typically centre fire and rim fire firearms have different designs and therefore components, which are differently designed. The design of a rim fire bolt action firearm is typically more complicated than that of the centre fire bolt action firearm because of the necessity of having offset centre striking of the cartridge by the firing pin.
Because rim fire and centre fire firearms require different components there is no easy way of modifying one type of firearm to allow it to fire cartridges of the other type. In other types of rifle and handgun actions, such as lever, pump, self-loading and revolving, the difference between rim and centre fire actions is typically little more than the location of the firing pin/impact member.
Preferably the present invention is aimed at allowing an assembly to be made for either rim or centre fire cartridges, the only potential difference between an example of each being the position of the impact member or firing pin relative to the bore axis of the firearm.
The present invention is aimed at providing a different assembly of components which can be used in a rim fire or centre fire firearm without major differences in the design of components to be used for either type.
Thus it is desired that an assembly in accordance with the present invention can be used in combination with existing firearm components with minor modifications if necessary for firing either rim fire or centre fire cartridges.
Typically the firing system for firing a cartridge consists of a striker with a firing pin which is locatable in a central passage through the bolt. The striker is typically provided with a spring which is either mounted around the external surface of the striker or is located directly behind the striker mounted on a spring support.
By operating a firing mechanism the striker spring is able to force the firing pin of the striker to impact on the cartridge within the firing chamber. Many firearms and in particular rifles are typically divided into rim fire and centre fire actions.
In a rim fire firearm, rim fire cartridges are used as a cheap way of providing powder, projectile and ignition source in one package. The rim of the cartridge is formed by folding the base of the cartridge to form a rim which contains a priming compound. The rim is struck by a firing pin which is off centre from the centre of the bolt. In contrast centre fire firearms have a centrally located firing pin which is designed to strike the centre of the rear of a cartridge. Typically the centre fire firearm is a more accurate firearm but the cartridges are more expensive. Hence both types of firearms are in common use.
Typically centre fire and rim fire firearms have different designs and therefore components which are differently designed. The design of a rim fire firearm is typically more complicated than that of the centre fire firearm because of the offset centre striking of the cartridge by the striker pin.
Because rim fire and centre fire firearms require different components there is no easy way of modifying one type of firearm to allow it to fire cartridges of the other type.
The present invention is aimed at providing a different assembly of components which can be used in a rim fire or centre fire firearm without major differences in the design of components to be used for either type. Thus it is desired that an assembly in accordance with the present invention can be used in combination with existing firearm components with minor modifications if necessary for firing either rim fire or centre fire cartridges.